In decking there is non-overlapping fence making in which a plurality of elongated wooden decking timbers or fence palings need to be fitted in a planar manner to a supporting structure with spacing between each adjacent pair of decking timbers or fence palings. For appearance and necessity the spacing is required to be substantially consistently laterally spaced from decking timber to decking timber or from fence paling to fence paling as well as be spaced consistently along the longitudinal adjacent edges of decking timber to decking timber or fence paling to fence paling.
Presently, there are several manufacturers of plastic packers which are used to set the boards at the 5 millimeter spacing's. There are also sash clamps and other timber woodworking clamps that can be used, however they are terribly inefficient in the actual task of clamping more than say 4 or 5 boards or long runs of boards. Since most decking boards are supplied in 3 to 5 meter lengths in 300 millimeter increments most jobs are not successfully used. Particular problem is that when you are clamping the boards you need to hope the plastic packers don't fall down between the decking boards or move out of alignment as you will need to start the process again. The standard wood chisel is used to help pry and bend boards into a straight acceptable line, this is always a difficult procedure and you never have enough hands when carrying it out. Further there is not consistency along the length as the one tradesman or carpenter can only undertake one position of attachment at a time. It is not feasible to have multiple tradesman or carpenters but even then consistency is not achieved as each has their own style.
As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C the prior art requires forcing the adjacent boards 15, 16 together by hand and spacing of multiple boards by use of loose packers 17 in between each pair of adjacent boards. At the same time the tradesman or carpenter needs to pick up the nail gun and still apply pressure to the boards when nailing off. As can be seen, there is only approximately 45 millimeter gap until the wall. Also when it goes wrong and the packers fall down it can be quite a time delay. This is amplified and even more frustrating when working on a second storey balcony.
The present invention seeks to provide a spacing means, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide a viable alternative.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.